This is the last image the planet-hunting Kepler telescope ever took
The photo was taken on September 25, 2018, not long before the space telescope turned off forever.
What’s it showing? The image displays the space around the constellation Aquarius in the sky. There are a few squares missing in the last image because some parts of Kelper’s camera had failed near the end of its life. The satellite was retired on October 30, 2018, to orbit around the sun forever.
Quite a view: The telescope’s final field of view overlapped a bit with that of its exoplanet-hunting successor, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which will allow for a comparison of the data from the two devices.
Some history: Kepler was NASA’s first planet-hunting mission. The telescope is responsible for the discovery of more than 2,600 exoplanets in our galaxy. Its data, which will be analyzed for years to come, indicates there are probably billions more. It also revealed the diversity of planets in our galactic neighborhood. The most common size of planet discovered so far—between the sizes of Neptune and Earth—doesn’t exist in our solar system.
Want to keep up with the latest space news and technologies? Sign up for our newest newsletter, The Airlock!
Keep Reading
Most Popular
DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.
“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.
What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines
New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.
Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats
With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.